Landing gear



Sept. 28 1926.

J. VON WALDY LANDING GEAR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 28 ,1926.

J. VON WALDY 01,012

LANDING GEAR Filed March 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 28, 1926.

J. VON WALDY LANDING GEAR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 all s\ Filed March 8, 1924Vflfflllllllllll:

Patented ept. 28, 192-6.

JULIUS VON WALDY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LANDING GEAR.

Application filed March 8, 1924. Serial No. 697,914.

both land and water.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an aeroplane disclosing my invent-ionapplied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a form of pontoon suitable for land andwater landing gear such as is shown at the right in Fig. 1. I 3 is a topplan of the pontoon shown in Fig. 2. I Fig. 1- is a top plan of anotherform of pontoon such as is shown at the left in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the pontoon shown in Fig. 4;.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5,parts being shown in elevation.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional viewtaken on the line 77of Fig. 4, parts being shown in elevation.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of one of the walls of thepontoons.

Fig. 10 is a sectional View taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on the ling 1111 of Fig. 6, partsbeing omitted, an

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken on the line 12 12 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrative embodiment of my inventiontherein shown (see Fig. 1), comprises an aeroplane superstructure 1 ofany suitable design, having one or more flexible inflatable pontoonssuch as the pontoons 2 and 3, secured thereto in any convenient mannerto provide a landing gear for lighting upon the surface of water. Thepontoons have associated w th them a plurality of landing wheels 4, sothat the craft may also alight upon the ground.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 the pontoons 2 and 3 are preferablyarranged with their longitudinal center lines in the longitudinalcentral plane offlight of the craft, and are boat-shaped so as to oflerminimum resistance to forward movement of the craft both during flightand upon alighting on water.

The front pontoon 2 preferably comprises a rigid top wall 5 (see Fig.6), conveniently 1 made or sheet me a reiefprced bysulwble reinforcingribs 6, such as standard T-shapes, and also comprises side walls 7 andbottom wall 8, preferably made of strong flexible material, such forexample, as vulcanized rubber, having wire cloth 9 imbedded in it asclearly shown in Fig. 9. The flexible walls, as shown, are made in twosections Joined together. However, these walls may conveniently bedivided into any desired number of sections, so that the parts thereofmay be packed in a small space for shipping purposes. As shown, thewalls of each section are moulded in one piece in the desired shape and,at thebends or corners and at in-.

tervals along their length, are provided with reinforcing beads 10 eachhaving a core of wire cable to resist undue bellying or distortion ofthe walls upon inflation.

The upper edges of the flexible side walls 7 preferably have reinforcedbeads 11, as best shown in Fig. 6, to provide a convenient means forsecuring them to the top wall 5. To provide a means for connecting thesebeads to the rigid top plate 5, I preferably employ a flange or rim 12secured to the lower side of the marginal edge of the top wall andhaving a depending flange 13 thus providing a seat for the beads. Theouter edge of the rim may be bent downwardly to provide a dependingflange 14 and, adjacent the edge is a series of openings to receivesuitable securing means such as the lugs 15 or other convenient clampsadapted to secure the reinforced beads firmly against the upper wall andflange. The lugs 15 have one edge contacting with the depending flange14 to prevent them from slipping out of engagement with the beads 11under severe strains.

The pontoon 2 is preferably divided into a plurality of independentinflatable compartments so that upon accidental deflation of any onecompartment, the remaining compartments will remain fully inflated. Tothis end I have shown a flexible transverse partition 16, preferably ofvulcanized fabric, secured to the walls 5, 7 and 8 of the pontoon. Thispartition is clamped in the joint be tween the sections of the pontoonas best shown in Fig. 12. The adjoining edges of the walls havereinforced beads 17 somewhat similar to beads 11 at their upper edgesand they are clamped together with the margin of'the partition 16between them by suitable clamps 18. having securing bolts passingthrough the partition wall. The upper edge of the partition It (as shownin section in Fig. 8.) has a reinforced bead 19 to which a suitableholder 20 is secured. This holder may be a tube having a longitudinalopening adapted to slide over the bead and to be se cured to the topwall 5 by any convenient means, such as bolts and wing nuts. Thus thepontoon is divided into separate con partnients.

It is not necessary that the compartments in the pontoon be air tight.As shown in T, inflatable air bags 21 of suitable sizes and shapes maybe inserted therein through hand hole openings 22 provided in the topall (see Fig. l). Each of the openings has a removable cover platehrough which the valve stem of the inflatable bag projects so that thebags may conveniently be inflated from the outside. When it is necessaryto remove one of the bags for repairs, the cover plate for the hand-holemay be removed and the bag pulled out through the. opening, repaired andreinserted.

The landing wheels 4 are so connected to the pontoons that the inflatedportions thereol constitute pneun'latie cushions or shock absorbers torelieve the superstructure l of the shocks and jars incident to landingnoon the ground. is shown in (5 and the single landing wheel on thefront pontoon is partially enclosed in a pocket 23 in the bottom wall 8,this pocket being divided transversely and the walls secured together asshown in igs. (i and 12. The weight of the landing vheel is preferablycarried by the top wall a of the pontoon. To this end wheel as having anintegral tubular extension or support 25 extending fabric well 26 in thepartition to and its upper end is siidable vertically in a guide owaning 27. in the top plat whi -h pretr -i )ly provided with a strutsecuring bracket 28 to which the struts for supporting the airolanesupcrst icture are secured. The tori; extension has a nut- 29 toprovide-a stop shoulder toasting with the bracket 28, to 'arry theweight of the landing wheel assembly.

lue tabular extension tori; 1'34 is preferably non-circular in crossection. as indicated in Fig. 12. so as to maintain the plane of thewheel properly in the central plane of flight ot the craft, beingprevented from turning or twisting by the well 26 and guide opening 2'7.is shown in Fi ll. the tube may be split at its "tour corne s at thelower end and bent to form the fork and also opposite strips 30 toengagethe wall of the pocket 23, thereby providing for transferring any loadupon the landing wheel to said wall. A suitable rigid l'ious'ng 31preferably of sheet metal, may he slipped into the pocket to distributethe load evenlyover the entire areav of the l have shown the fork 21-ot' the landingthrough ai of the wheel.

pocket walls. Thus, upon landing on the ground the entire load upon thelanding wheel is carried by the pontoon: and, since it inflated, it actsas a pneumatic shock absorber to prevent racking ot the superstruo ture.The tubular support 25 is free to slide. in the guide opening 2. whenthe wheel strikes the ground and flexes the bottom wall 8.

in the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings,the rear pontoon $3 is similar in man-y respcctsto the front pontoon 2.This pontoon, however. has two landing wheels t arranged on oppositesides ot the central plane of flight oi the cral t, and is preteral'ilymuch wider than the front pontoon (see Figs. 2 and 3). As st iwn in Fig.3, itis divided into tour inflatable con'ipartmcnts by partitions 32which may conveniently be secured to the tlexilile walls 7 and S of thepontoon by making them integral therewith. Obviously.

ti a pontoon may also be made in sections and the partitions may besecured as indicated; in Fig. 12. These partitions are sceured to thetop wall 5 in the manner indirated in Fig.

As indicated diagranunatioally in Fig. 1, each of the pontoons is firmlysecured to the sog icrstriurtiu'e l by a plurality o'l struts. rome ofwhich radiate from the strut bracketsv or p ates and others of which arecon ldXtGtl to the trout.- and rear ends oi the rigid top walls also, ifdesired, the landing whcei housings may be braced by additional struts.

in the illustrative embodiment shown in the drawings. the pontoons f and5 are connected to each other 'l'or relative universal movement by a tierot 3 joined to the pontoons by suitable hi ll and socket joints wherebyto maintain them in alignn'icni and yet. permit relative universalmovements due to yielding oi the struts or racking oi' thesupeistrm-ture upon landing.

Obviously, my invention is not limited to the illustrative embodiment.herein shown and described.

What I claiin'and desire to secure by Lettcrs Patent is:

l. A landing gear for aircraft comprising. in combination. a pair olaligned boatshaped pontoons arranged in the line o t' fight of the craftand connected to each other for relative universal movement.

2. A landing gen tor aircraft comprisr ing, in combination, av frontinflatable pontoon provided with a pneumatically cushioned landing wheelin the longitudinal cen tral plane of flight of the craft and a singlerear inflatable pontoon having a pair 0!? landing wheels on oppositesidesiof said longitudinal central plane.

3. i i-landing gear for aircraft, comprising, in. combination,troutinflai a l 129. 1:

QTI

toon and a single rear inflatable pontoon aligned with the front pontoonand a plurality of air cushioned landing wheels con nected to saidpontoons.

4. In a landing gear for aircraft, a flexible inflatable pontoon, alanding wheel suspended from the top wall of said pontoon, a housing inthe bottom wall of said pontoon partially enclosing said wheel and meansconnecting'said wheel to said housing whereby the pontoon constitutes ashock absorber for said wheel n 3011 landing of the craft.

5. In a landing gear for aircraft, a flexible inflatable pontoon havingan approximately vertical well therethrough, a con cave pocket in thebottom wall of the pontoon at the lower end of said well, a landingwheel partially enclosed within said pocket, a rigid housing for saidwheel within said pocket. means extending through said well forsuspending said landing wheel from the top wall of the pontoon, andmeans for transferring the stresses upon said wheel to said housingwhile the craft is landing, whereby said pontoon constitutes a pneumaticshock absorber for the superstructure of the craft. 7

6. In a landing gear for aircraft, an inflatable pontoon having aflexible bottom wall provided with a pocket, a rigid housing secured insaid pocket, a landing wheel partially enclosed in said housing and afork for said wheel presenting a portion engaging said housing wherebythe shocks on said wheel are transferred through said housing to thebody portion of said pontoon, thereby providing a pneumatic shockabsorber for the superstructure of the craft.

7. In a landing gear for aircraft, an inflatable pontoon having areinforced rigid top wall and a flexible bottom wall, a landing wheelprojecting from said bottom wall, suspending means for said wheelslidable through the top wall, a strut securing bracket connectedto'said top wall having a guide opening for said suspending means, and aplurality of struts connected to said bracket and the superstructure ofthe craft.

8. In a landing gear for aircraft, an inflatable pontoon having aflexible bottom wall presenting a pocket, a landing wheel partiallyhoused within said pocket, a tubular support of square cross sectionextending through the pontoon for movably suspending said landing wheelfrom the top wall of the pontoon, said support having an integral forkshaped lower end within and engaging said pocket to provide journalbearings for said wheel, whereby the pontoon constitutes a shockabsorber for the craft upon landing.

9. A pontoon for aircraft having flexible fabric walls divided into aplurality of sections, said flexible walls having reinforced beads attheir joining edges and clamping means for said beads to hold the wallsin assembled relation.

10. An inflatable pontoon made of flexible fabric in a plurality ofsections and having a plurality of separate compartments, the joiningedges of the fabric having reinforced beads, flexible partition for thepontoon extending between said beads, and clamps for holding saidsections and partition in assembled relation.

11. inflatable pontoon having rigid top wall, a flex ole partitionwithin the pontoon dividing it into a plurality of independentcompartments, a reinforced bead on the upper edge of said partition, andmeans on the bottom of the top wall of said pontoon for enga ing saidhead whereby to support said partition.

in landing gear for aircraft, an in- La. fiatable boat-shaped pontoonhaving reinforced vulcanized rubber bottom and side walls, a flexiblevulcanized rubber partition dividing said pontoon into separatedinflatable compartments, said partition being united with said bottomand side walls and detachably secured to the top wall of said pontoon,and means for securing said pontoon to the superstructureof the craft.

13. An inflatable pontoon comprising reenforced rubberized fabric bottomand side walls, relatively rigid top wall connected to the side walls,and a flexible pr "tition dividing the space within said walls into aplurality of independent compartments each adapted to contain an airbag, and means affording access to said compartments for inserting andremoving said A. A boat-shaped, flexible, inflatable pontoon foraircraft landing gear having rubberized fabric bottom and side walls.-

and reenforcing beads in said walls to strengthen and maintain the shapeof said pontoon upon inflation.

15. An inflatable pontoon having a rigid top wall, flexible bottom andside walls adapted to be secured adjacent the margin of said top wall,said side walls presenting a top marginal bead, and said top wallprovided with means det-achably to clamp said beads thereto.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JULIUS VON WALDY.

